Magnetic hair clip holder

ABSTRACT

A wrist-mounted implement for holding small metallic articles, such as hair clips, bobby pins or the like adjacent the hands of the wearer for convenient removal and use is presented. The implement preferably includes a C-shaped, plastic bracelet having outwardly curved end portions for easy removal. An arcuate plastic mounting plate is attached at a side of the bracelet adjacent the inner side of the wearer&#39;&#39;s wrist. The long axis of the plate preferably extends transverse to the bracelet. At least one thin, elongated magnet is mounted on the outer surface of the plate, the polar axis of said magnet being normal to a plane tangential to the face of the magnet, and the distance between the poles being less than the width thereof so that the face of the magnet is a pole and the attractive force for metallic articles placed thereon will be concentracted throughout that portion of the article contacting the face.

Sirnoneaurr tee met 1 [451 Sept, 4, W73

[ MAGNETEC HARE ClLHP HOLDER [22] Filed: May 24, 11972 [21] Appl. No.: 256,467

[52] 11.8. C1. 24/3 A, 24/73 MS, 132/1 A [51] lint. Cl. A441) 21/00, A45d 44/00 [58] Field of Search 24/3 A, 3 E, 3 F, 24/73 MS; 132/1 R, 1 A

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,274,312 7/1918 Nicoll 24/3 A UX 1,482,647 2/1924 Gise 24/3 E 2,176,052 I 10/1939 Beyer 132/1 A 2,436,607 2/1948 Rosenthal..... 24/3 F UX 2,506,859 5/1950 Des Saulles 13211 A 2,551,991 5/1951 Armstrong et al.. 132/1 A 3,629,867 12/1971 Taylor 24/3 A UX FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS 30,395 1910 Great Britain 132/1 A Primary Eraminer Donald I A. Attorney- Robert E. Le Blane, Donald C. Casey et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A wrist-mounted implement for holding small metallic articles, such as hair clips, bobby pins or the like adjacent the hands of the wearer for convenient removal and use is presented. The implement preferably includes a C-shaped, plastic bracelet having outwardly curved end portions for easy removal. An arcuate plastic mounting plate is attached at a side of the bracelet adjacent the inner side of the wearers wrist. The long axis of the plate preferably extends transverse to the bracelet. At least one thin, elongated magnet is mounted on the outer surface of the plate, the polar axis of said magnet being normal to a plane tangential to the face of the magnet, and the distance between the poles being less than the width thereof so that the face of the magnet is a pole and the attractive force for metallic articles placed thereon will be concentracted throughout that portion of the article contacting the face.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures MAGNETIC HAIR CLIP HOLDER This invention relates to an implement for holding metallic objects such as bobby pins or hair clips, and in particular, to a bracelet having a magnet mounted on a side thereof for use by hair stylists to provide a readily accessible supply of these articles. The bracelet of this invention may alternatively be used to hold other types of metallic objects, for example, the device may be conveniently used by dressmakers to hold pins and similar articles.

The device of this invention is primarily intended to provide a means for holding a supply of metallic articles in a position, relative to the hands of the wearer, which will promote more efficient use thereof. I-lair stylists, for example, use both hands in arranging a coiffure, and therefore to facilitate speed and efficiency, a supply of bobby pins or hair clips must be disposed at a place convenient to the hand used to place the article in the hair. For efficient use of these articles the supply should not be located remote from the area of application, as for example, in a pocket or on a nearby tray or table. If so, the hair stylists attention will be constantly diverted from the subjects hair to locate and reach for additional hair clips or bobby pins. This diversion will be responsible for lost motion and the elapse of an undue amount of time while styling hair, and therefore should be eliminated.

Several devices have been proposed for mounting a supply of pins, hair clips, and the like, on an operators wrist or finger, and two such devices are described in US. Pat. Nos. 2,176,052 and 2,600,092. These patents describe flat, relatively thin magnets which are mounted, respectively, on a bracelet and on a ring. In both devices the magnet is polarized so that the polar axis extends transverse to the face of the magnet. This is to say that in each device the poles are at opposite edges of the magnets. The stated purpose therefor is to provide a magnetic couple at the face of the magnet to orient the metallic objects thereon longitudinally between the poles.

The prior devices have two related disadvantages which are overcome by the device of this invention. Pins or other articles are only weakly attracted to the magnet in the prior devices because, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art, the disposition of the poles thereon permits concentration of the attractive force only at that portion of each pin adjacent the poles, rather than throughout the length thereof. Accordingly, if the device is inadvertently jarred during usage, the articles may fall off.

In addition, the weak attractive force requires placing the magnet on the upper surface of the wearers wrist or finger so that gravitational attraction will aid in retaining articles on the magnet. The upper surface of the wearers wrist, however, is an inconvenient position for the article relative to the wearers hands. The most convenient location for the magnet, and the hair pins or clips held thereon would be on the inner side of the wearers wrist. However, as noted above, prior devices using magnets having the polar axis transverse to the face thereof may not be positioned on the side of the wearers wrist because metallic articles, due to gravity, will not be sufficiently attracted thereto.

Accordingly, it has been discovered that an extremely efficient and useful holder for metallic bobby pins, hair clips, and the like may be constructed using a substantially C-shaped bracelet having a mounting plate on the side thereof and a magnet mounted thereon wherein the polar axis is substantially normal to a plane tangential to the face of the magnet. In other words, by providing a flat or slightly arcuate magnet wherein the face is a magnetic pole, metallic articles will be sufficiently attracted thereto so that the magnet may be mounted on the bracelet at the side of the wearer's wrist.

Prior magnetic devices then customarily employ magnets wherein the length or distance between the poles is relatively large compared to the width. However, preferred magnets for use in the device of this invention should have a small distance between poles as compared to the width. There are a number of magnetic materials which provide, with length to width ratios of less than 1, ahigh attractive force. Magnetic ma- 'terials, such as cobalt-platinum, iron-platinum, and

BafiFe O magnets meet the requirements of this invention. Although the magnetic characteristics vary considerably between the Ba6Fe O and cobalt-platinum alloy, the Ba6Fe O magnets are preferred for use in this invention because they have an adequate attractive force and are relatively inexpensive.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a wrist-mounted implement for holding small metallic articles adjacent the side of the wearers wrist.

It is another object to provide a device for increasing the efficiency and speed of hairstylists by providing a supply of bobby pins or the like at the side of the stylists wrist.

It is another object to provide a bracelet having a magnet mounted on the side thereof for holding a supply of metallic articles in a position convenient to the wearers hands.

It is still another object to provide a wrist-mounted magnetic device for effectively holding a plurality of hair pins, bobby pins, or the like in a position convenient to the wearers hands whereby thearticles may be rapidly removed from the device and used.

It is a further object to provide a substantially C- shaped bracelet for holding small metallic articles, said bracelet having an outwardly curved end portion for easy removal and a mounting plate disposed at the side thereof, said plate mounting a magnet polarized so that the polar axis extends normal to a plane tangential to the face thereof.

It is another object to provide a bobby pin or hair clip holder for hair stylists including a C-shaped bracelet with at least one end portion outwardly curved and a thin, arcuate magnet mounted on a side thereof, said magnet having a length between poles to width ratio of less than I, the polar axis extending normal to a plane tangential to the face thereof so that the face of the magnet is a pole.

These and other objects will become readily apparent with reference to the drawings and following description wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device of this invention mounted on a wrist;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of an alternate embodiment of the device of this invention;

HQ 3 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 2; invention.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device of this invention taken along line 4l-t of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the device of this invention.

With attention to the drawings, FIG. I shows the bracelet 10 of this invention mounted on the left wrist l2 and holding bobby pins I4 in a readily accessible position on the wrist I2. As will be obvious to those skilled in the art the operator shown in FIG. I wearing the device Ill of this invention on left wrist 112 will be right handed, and the left hand will normally position the work while the right hand (not shown) places the article 14.

In the event a person utilizing the device of this invention is left handed the bracelet I will be reversed and worn on the right wrist (not shown). However, the pins Id or other objects will always be disposed at the inside surface of the wearers wrist.

While hair pins 14 are shown in FIG. I, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that hair clips, pins, tacks, or any other small metallic object may be held thereon. The device is intended for use with any small metallic object normally utilized in relatively large quantities, and placed by hand using as much speed as possible.

The device of this invention generally includes a C- shaped, plastic bracelet 16. As shown in FIG. 4, the bracelet I6 is essentially oblong, and may have at least one outwardly curving end portion I8 to permit easy removal thereof. While plastic is the preferred material for constructing bracelet 16, bracelet I6 may be made of any nonconducting material such as fabric or leather. A resilient plastic, however, is preferred in order to provide an inexpensive device which will be easily removable when not needed.

An arcuate mounting plate 26 is affixed at the side 22 of bracelet I6. The plate 20 is intended to be disposed, as shown in FIG. 1 adjacent the inside 24 of wrist 12.

Plate 20 may be attached to bracelet 16 by any conventional manner such as by use of an adhesive, heatwelding, or by use of rivets (not shown). Mounting plate 20 is preferably also constructed of plastic, and may be utilized to reinforce bracelet I0 and contribute to the resiliency thereof. Plate 20, as shown in FIG. 4, may extend over the side 22 of bracelet I6 and onto the upper surface 2 8 and lower surface 26, if desired. In the alternative, plate 20 may be substantially shortened, to cover substantially only the side portion 22 of bracelet 16.

In the preferred version of this invention shown in FIGS. I and plate 26 is eliptical with the long axis thereof extending transverse to bracelet Io, parallel to the wearers wrist 12. Plate 26 is then arcuately configured along its short axis. However, this invention is also intended to include the alternate embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 wherein the long axis of plate extends transverse to the wearer's wrist I2. The plate 20' is then arcuately configured along its long axis.

A magnet 28 is mounted on plate 20 or 20' and positioned when bracelet I0 is worn adjacent the inside 24 of wrist I2. Magnet 28 is preferably thin and may be arcuately shaped as shown in FIG. 4. In the alternative a plurality of flat, thin magnets (not shown) may be substituted for the single arcuate magnet 28 shown in FIG. 4.

It is essential to this invention that magnet 28 be polarized so that the polar axis extending between the poles is normal to a plane tangential to the face 30. This is to say that the inner and outer faces 32 and 30 respectively, as shown in FIG. 4, are poles. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 1, when metallic objects I4 are placed on magnet 28 the attractive force will be concentrated throughout the length of the objects 14 contacting face 30.

Magnet 28 may be attached to plate 2% or 20' preferably with a conventional contact cement adhesive such as that manufactured by the Woodhill Chemical Corporation. In the alternative, any conventional means for attaching magnet 28 to bracelet 16 may be utilized.

Magnet 28 may be constructed from any well known magnetic material capable of a high attractive force when the ratio of the distance between the poles to the width is substantially less than 1. Examples of such magnetic materials are cobalt-platinum and ironplatinum, and preferably ferrite magnets such as BafiFe O (sold under the tradename Indox I). Indox I or equivalent magnets are preferred for use with this invention because they provide a high attractive force and are relatively inexpensive.

In the event flat magnets (not shown) are substituted for the curved or arcuate magnet 28 in FIGS. 1-5, it is preferred that a plurality be mounted on plate 20 or 20 adjacently with the long axes parallel and transverse to bracelet 16 to provide a substantially continuous face. Accordingly, the faces of flat magnets could be substituted as chords for the are formed by the face 30 of magnet 28 in FIG. I.

In summary, a bracelet useful for improving the speed and efficiency of hair stylists has been herein described. The bracelet, when worn, provides a magnetic holder disposed adjacent the inside surface of the wearer's wrist. The magnetic holding means will then retain small metallic articles to be used by the wearer in a position convenient to the wearer's hand for rapid use.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention a mounting plate is provided on the bracelet for mounting the magnet. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that, if desired, the width or thickness of the bracelet 16 may be increased substantially over that shown in the drawings, and the magnet may be mounted directly thereon. In the alternative the bracelet may be configured to have an integral widened mounting area (not shown) instead of an increased overall width in order to eliminate the need for mounting plate 20.

Although the structure and materials for constructing the bracelet may be varied within the scope of this invention, and although the configuration of the magnet may be either flat or arcuate, it is essential for this invention that the magnet is polarized so that the polar axis extends normal to a plane tangential to the face thereof so that the opposed inner and outer faces of the magnet will be poles, and the ratio of the distance between poles to the width of the magnet will be less than I. In the preferred embodiment of this invention ferrite magnets are used although a wide variety of other well known magnetic alloys may be substituted therefor, if desired.

However, in order to provide a magnetic means capable of holding a large number of metallic articles at the side of the wearers wrist with sufficient attractive force to retain the articles and permit removal only when desired, it is essential that the attractive force be concentrated throughout the entire length of that portion of the article contacting the face of the magnet. In order toprovide such a magnet the face must be a pole, and therefore, it is essential, as above noted, to the construction of the device of this invention, that the said polar axis extends normal to a plane tangential to the face of the magnet.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

11. A wrist-mountable holder for small metallic articles such as hair pins, bobby pins and the like comprising:

a substantially C-shaped bracelet constructed of resilient plastic material, at least one end portion of said bracelet forming an outwardly curved lip, said bracelet having an inner portion adapted to be disposed adjacent the inner surface of the wearers wrist when said bracelet is mounted thereon;

a mounting plate constructed of a non-magnetic ma terial adhesively mounted on the outer surface of the inner portion of said bracelet so that when said bracelet is worn, said plate will be disposed at the side of the wearers wrist, said plate having a uniform thickness and a substantially eliptical shape, the axis thereof overlapping the inner portion of said bracelet being arcuate to conform to the contour thereof;

at least one thin elongated magnet mounted on said plate and configured to conform to the contour thereof, said magnet being polarized so that the polar axis extends normal to .a plane tangential to the face thereof, the distance between the poles of said magnet being less than the width thereof whereby when said metallic articles are placed in contact with the face of said magnet the attractive force is concentrated throughout the portion of said article contacting said face.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein a single magnet is provided, said magnet having an arcuate configuration generally corresponding to the curvature of the adjacent portion of said mounting plate.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein a plurality of flat magnets are provided, said magnets being disposed adjacently along said plate with the long axis thereof perpendicular to the long axis of said plate.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said magnet is constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of cobalt-platinum, iron-platinium, and Ba6Fe 0 5. The device of claim 1 wherein said magnet is mounted on said plate with a contact adhesive.

6. The device of claim l wherein said mounting plate is eliptically shaped and arcuately configured along the short axis thereof.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said mounting plate has a long axis, said plate being arcuately configured therealong.

d. The C-shaped bracelet of claim 1 further comprising opposed end portions, said end portions forming outwardly curved lips to facilitate removal of said bracelet from a wearers wrist.

* ll l 

1. A wrist-mountable holder for small metallic articles such as hair pins, bobby pins and the like comprising: a substantially C-shaped bracelet constructed of resilient plastic material, at least one end portion of said bracelet forming an outwardly curved lip, said bracelet having an inner portion adapted to be disposed adjacent the inner surface of the wearer''s wrist when said bracelet is mounted thereon; a mounting plate constructed of a non-magnetic material adhesively mounted on the outer surface of the inner portion of said bracelet so that when said bracelet is worn, said plate will be disposed at the side of the wearer''s wrist, said plate having a uniform thickness and a substantially eliptical shape, the axis thereof overlapping the inner portion of said bracelet being arcuate to conform to the contour thereof; at least one thin elongated magnet mounted on said plate and configured to conform to the contour thereof, said magnet being polarized so that the polar axis extends normal to a plane tangential to the face thereof, the distance between the poles of said magnet being less than the width thereof whereby when said metallic articles are placed in contact with the face of said magnet the attractive force is concentrated throughout the portion of said article contacting said face.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein a single magnet is provided, said magnet having an arcuate configuration generally corresponding to the curvature of the adjacent portion of said mounting plate.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein a plurality of flat magnets are provided, said magnets being disposed adjacently along said plate with the long axis thereof perpendicular to the long axis of said plate.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein said magnet is constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of cobalt-platinum, iron-platinum, and Ba6Fe2O3.
 5. The device of claim 1 wherein said magnet is mounted on said plate with a contact adhesive.
 6. The device of claim 1 wherein said mounting plate is eliptically shaped and arcuately configured along the short axis thereof.
 7. The device of claim 1 wherein said mounting plate has a long axis, said plate being arcuately configured therealong.
 8. The C-shaped bracelet of claim 1 further comprising opposed end portions, said end portions forming outwardly curved lips to facilitate removal of said bracelet from a wearer''s wrist. 